PYEONGCHANG, Korea, Republic Of – Canadian curler Kevin Koe scored a deuce in the third and sixth ends to top Japan 8-4 on Tuesday at the Pyeongchang Olympics.
Leading 6-4 after seven ends, Koe earned a single in the eighth and ninth, forcing Japan’s Yusuke Morozumi to shake hands early.
The win thrusts Koe (5-3) into a three-way tie for second with Britain and South Korea in the round-robin portion of the tournament.
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Koe’s win comes a day after a 9-7 loss to the United States in extra ends.
“We had to win,” said Canada’s Ben Hebert. “We played (with) maybe a little more intensity, a little more urgency, because our backs were against the wall.
“It feels great to get back in the winning circle.”
The top four teams in the round robin advance to the semifinals, with Sweden’s Niklas Edin already qualified for the playoffs with a 7-1 record.
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Canada’s men play Denmark on Wednesday in the final round-robin match for both teams.
Rachel Homan and Canada’s women’s rink play China later Tuesday.